Incendiary Advice

"I just can't thank you enough for telling me about The Daily Show," my cousin Linda said a few weeks ago at a family graduation.

She'd written the same thing last year when I first suggested she watch, but I mistakenly thought it was only her way of being polite.



Not so.

"I watch it three times a day, now that I'm retired. And I love Lewis Black," she whispered conspiratorially.

Older and very professional, at first glance she didn't seem a good fit for The Daily Show's brand of ribald, biting humor. I was wrong. Like so many of us, she really did get hooked on Jon Stewart's nightly offering of "satire" --- a show that has more truth-telling and honesty than any network or cable news dare offer in the age of Corporate Media.

It's no longer the best little show than could, and did, every day.

Again last night, Jon Stewart and TDS won two Emmys -- best variety, comedy and best writing. While they richly deserve accolades (my teenager thinks they should get all available comedy awards and just skip nominating anyone else), it's a shame they're considered a 'variety or comedy series.'

What they are is the most refreshing, take no prisoners truth tellers on television.

So, Linda, you're welcome. Sometimes it seems that laughter is all we have left, and nobody does it better than the sexy, astute, intelligent Mr. Stewart. For anyone who hasn't caught this Comedy Central gem -- if that's possible -- I apologize if you get hooked solid.

It's just that good.